HL Deb 02 July 1973 vol 344 cc3-4

2.38 p.m.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, since South Africa has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, they will make it illegal for British investors to accept the invitation of the South African Government to invest in its nascent uranium separation industry and will also introduce a resolution into the United Nations Assembly calling on all member countries to do likewise.

TIIE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)

No, my Lords, the obligations of Her Majesty's Government under the Non-Proliferation Treaty do not include control over private investment from the United Kingdom in the nuclear industry of non-parties to the Treaty. Therefore, Her Majesty's Government do not intend to make British investment illegal in the South African uranium separation industry, or to introduce a resolution into the United Nations General Assembly, as suggested by the noble Lord.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, while the Non-Proliferation Treaty does not make this necessary, may I ask the noble Baroness whether it is not very desirable from the point of view of the policy of Her Majesty's Government that, if a nation which is not a party to the Treaty is asking for investment in uranium for the purposes of nuclear weapons, we should raise this issue in the Security Council, if not in the General Assembly, so as to get the matter dealt with?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, there is no evidence that South Africa intends to manufacture nuclear weapons. The recent statement by the South African Government was about preparatory work on the construction of a prototype stage of a plant for the production of enriched uranium. I have no reason to suppose that British investment in this process is being considered.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, is not enriched uranium precisely what you make bombs with? If there is no reason to suppose that South Africa intends to make bombs, why do the Government not take what steps they can, in the United Nations and elsewhere, to get South Africa to sign the non-proliferation Treaty, as we have done and as most other civilised countries have done?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I would entirely agree that we very much hope that South Africa will sign the nonproliferation Treaty; but on this particular process I think that few conclusions can really be drawn from the limited information available.